By peeking into the many windows, you can see white marble, brass trim and tons of customers. Don't let the scene here scare you off, the restaurant/market/patisserie is actually much more affordable than it appears to be. Here is a quick shot of the place.
We enjoy coming here on the weekends for brunch, though it is not the full menu, everything is delicious! I can't say no to eggs benedict when it is on the menu so I had to try it! They also make a smoked salmon benedict as well.
Anthony normally does not eat breakfast foods, but wanted to try the waffle- it was fluffy and light, served with warm syrup- don't forget the side of berries to go with it!
There is always the option of just having a cup of coffee and a few of their freshly made beignets (plain, raspberry or hazelnut).
The one thing that you MUST get is the portebello fries if you come here. It's lightly breaded and seasoned perfectly- you wouldn't even know you were eating a mushroom. It comes with a great aioli for dipping. Even Anthony's sister who has no desire to eat mushrooms ever, enjoyed it!
One of our go to items that we always order (for several reasons: 1) they get it right every time 2) it is slightly healthier than other selections) is the club sandwich. Sounds boring, we know. And how can you get a club sandwich wrong, right? Here, the crust is sliced off, there's the perfect amount of each ingredient, the bread is toasted at just the right crisp and it is coupled with hand made chips that are sliced and fried perfectly. This is one of Anthony's mom's favorite as well.
Located in the back, is a pizza station with an open oven where you can watch them prepare fresh pizzas all day long. All of the pizzas are simple -you won't find any supreme or Hawaiian pizzas here! But because the ingredients are so fresh, all the flavors come through and makes this simple pizza have complex taste. Here are a few that we have had.
Margherita (mozzarella, parmesan, tomato sauce, oregano and basil)
Bianco (ricotta, mozzarella, parmesan, roasted garlic and arugula)
If you are a burger fan, you definitely should try their Kobe burger. The beef is moist and juicy, flavored very nicely- and they use bibb lettuce, which is a nice touch from the norm.
Here are a few other items that we have enjoyed:
Meatball sliders- difficult to eat, but a great snack to share amongst friends or to enjoy yourself! The cheese is so fresh, it makes a world of difference!
Chicken Parmesan - This was a very large portion, which Anthony and I shared, along with Aiden (he didn't eat the cheese of course).
Grilled pork chops with potato pancakes and a housemade applesauce.
Braised short ribs with polenta- with one bite, Anthony said it was the best braised short rib he has ever eaten!
Lasagna - delicious!
Most of the time when you see us "checking-in" at Bottega it is because we are stopping for dessert. With this always on the way home when we are out in downtown, it's hard to resist the temptation of one little sweet bite to finish off the night!
Here is the pastry counter of the forever busy dessert station! From macarons, cupcakes, to fresh tarts and homemade chocolates! We have tried I think every dessert here!
Those little cups are filled with eye opening bursts of flavors! Salted Caramel, passion fruit, malted crunch...mmmmm.
The daquise (not sure if that is how you spell it- it's the one with the fruit on top) is one of my favorite desserts here. It has an almond cookie shell, chewy cookie middle, filled with a light cream, topped off with fresh fruit.
The library of macarons
I appreciate good packaging!
Cupcakes with mini macarons on top...so cute!
The bar is always a busy place too.
I can't conclude this post without adding a choice of drink, so one of our favorites is the blackberry mojito. Refreshing, not too sweet and surprisingly a bit strong.
So I hope that answers why we always come here! When you come to LA, call us and we'll meet at Bottega!
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